Everyday AI
Starter prompts for everyday problems
No tech skills needed. Pick your problem, copy the prompt, and paste it into any free AI app.
How to use these prompts
- Open a free AI appClaude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot all work.
- Copy a promptTap the Copy button on any card below.
- Swap the highlighted wordsReplace them with your own details, then send.
Keep passwords, account numbers and other personal details out of public AI tools.
Turn fridge leftovers into dinner
Sound familiar?
After a long day, deciding what to cook ends in takeout while good ingredients go to waste.
What AI does
Builds a few simple meals from what you already have, plus a shopping list for the gaps.
Try this prompt
I have [chicken breast, spinach, garlic, rice and soy sauce] in my kitchen. Create a simple [3-day] dinner menu and a grocery list, sorted by store section, for any missing items.
Want more?
Ask: “Make night two a one-pan meal I can finish in 30 minutes.”
Good to know
List any allergies in the prompt, and trust your own eyes and nose over the recipe if food seems past its best.
Decode lease and contract jargon
Sound familiar?
A new lease, freelance contract or terms-of-service page leaves you rereading the same clause.
What AI does
Rewrites dense clauses in plain English and points out risks or unusual duties.
Try this prompt
Read this clause from my [lease agreement]: [paste clause]. Explain it in simple, plain English. Highlight any potential risks or unusual responsibilities it places on me as the [tenant].
Want more?
Ask: “What questions should I ask before I sign this?”
Good to know
AI explains but does not give legal advice. For anything high-stakes, check with a lawyer or a local tenant rights group.
Find where your money is leaking
Sound familiar?
Forgotten subscriptions, app renewals and takeout quietly push your monthly spending up.
What AI does
Reviews your list of expenses, spots the leaks and suggests a realistic plan.
Try this prompt
Here is a list of my monthly bills, streaming services and dining expenses: [paste list]. Show me where my money is leaking and suggest a realistic 3-step budget plan.
Want more?
Ask: “Which of these subscriptions overlap, and which could I pause instead of cancel?”
Good to know
Paste amounts and merchant names only. Leave out card numbers, account numbers and logins.
Get the gist of a long report fast
Sound familiar?
A long report or dense PDF lands on your desk, and the meeting starts in under an hour.
What AI does
Pulls out the key findings, the main risks and the next steps so you can skip the page-by-page skim.
Try this prompt
Read the following text: [paste text or excerpt]. Give me a 5-bullet executive summary covering the key findings, main risks and recommended next steps.
Want more?
Ask: “What three questions should I bring to the meeting?”
Good to know
Check the summary against the original before you quote it, and keep confidential work files out of public AI tools.
The simple recipe behind every prompt
A role
Tell the AI who to be: “Act as my budget coach.”
Your details
Give it the real situation: the ingredients, the clause, the bills.
The format
Say what you want back: a 3-day menu, plain English, 5 bullets.
Not quite right? Reply with “shorter”, “friendlier” or “simpler” and it will try again.
More everyday fixes
Want more prompts like these?
Everyday AI collects plain-English prompts for home, work and life admin, sorted by the problem you are trying to solve.
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